I posted this in third tri too, hope no one reads it twice! I appreciate any help! I have recently been researching my options for pain relief during labor. From what I understand, epidurals are the only ones that do not make you feel loopy and groggy and do not have an affect on the baby, but they could slow down labor and they increase the possiblilty for needing aids such as the vacuum, or even a c-section. Narcotics let you continue to feel most of the contractions so they won't slow labor down, but the baby could feel the effects and I might be too out of it to be fully aware of what's going on. BUT narcotics don't usually change your chances for needing aids or a c-section. And natural is obviously better for both me and the baby, but I have an EXTREMELY low pain tolerance. Many women I know have said they used the epi and would do it again in a heart beat. Some even say they went natural with the first and then epi with the second, and would DEF choose the epi again. I'm just wondering what you all are thinking about this. I DO NOT want a c-section just because the recovery time is so much longer and if I can do something to lower my risk of needing one, I would opt for that, but the prospect of doing this without anything really freaks me out! Have you guys planned for this stuff yet? Have any of you had experiences with any of these things?

I just wanted to let you know I recently had my baby 3 months ago and I had an epidural. I also had an epidural with my son before him which was 10 yrs ago and both times it was great. I was wide awake before and after the birth. I am also a mother of 4 but the first one I got demerol and the second one was natural. I will not be doing that again.

Hi. I was rather young when I delivered my son. They gave me an epi, but shut it off two hours before I began to push. They told me that because of my age, I would probably not bare down as well if the epi was still on because I would not feel the sensation to push. Therefore, I believe that I had natural birth because trust me...I felt everything! The epi was the greatest during labor. I felt nothing! I plan on having it again...but this time they will not be shutting it off until after the baby is born! LOL. Good luck!

I used acupressure during my pregnancy. I didn't need any drugs. I had so many probles that it wasn't funny. My back always hurt, I was swolen and puffy all over, my stomach and sides ached all of the time, and I just felt horrible. At the end I was just miserable and tired. I went past my due date by two weeks when my best friend told me what she used to enduce her labor. So I had my mother get me the book, its a downloadable book that you can start reading as soon as you get it. When we got the book my husband and I started using the methods for enducing labor and in just a few short hours we were on the way to the hospital. We continued with the tecniques, I flew through the labor. I was only in labor for four and a half hours. It was amazing. I started getting sick while I was trying to push and my husband touched a spot and I didn't feel sick anymore.
We found the book at maternityacupressure.com
After my baby my recovery was faster than my first.

Thanks ladies. This helps alot. I think I am planning to use the epi, but not the narcotics. Seems like the best way to go if you want to feel less of the pain. Pixie - i don't mean to ignore your post, i am sure that acupressure works, I will check out that website, but I still think the epi is more my style!

everyone is different. My sister had the epi alone and couldn't feel anything and was strangely frantic despite saying she couldn't feel a thing...she didn't even know when she was supposed to push and in the end said she felt like she missed birthing her own child. Like I said, everyone is different. I would research all you can like you are doing and trust your heart!

I took two different druge. Nubane (sp?) and an epidural. The nubane they give to you before you can get an epi. I had to get nubane because they had to monitor my daughters heartbeat directly, meaning they had to go up in me and attach something to her skull... they messed up 4 times.. and let me tell you it is very painful, so i got nubane to help that, Plus my contractions were bad but i wasnt dialted enough to get an epi. The nubane doesnt exactly take away the pain, it makes you just not care about it. The epi i had when I was 6 CM. Made the contractions go away completley, BUT when you get closer to 9 cm you still feel a ton of pressure. When I deliver my next baby Im going to use both of these. I didnt have any side effect and my daughter wasnt groggy at all.